The invention relates to the technical field of dispensing machines for wipe paper made of tissue paper, crepe paper and similar material intended, in particular, for wiping the user's hands, dispensing toilet paper and dispensing paper towels.
The Applicant has developed many patents for machines of the above-mentioned type based on a concept defined in French Patents No. 2,332,215, No. 2,340,887.
The features of such machines are restated briefly below. They essentially comprise a housing (1) having a back (1a) and two lateral wings (1b), the lower part of said housing extending with a slanting profile (1c), this assembly having a suitable profile making it possible to accommodate and articulate a cover (2). The lower part of the housing is capable of accommodating, in a known manner, an internally hollow drum (3) to accommodate a cutting device (4). The upper part of the housing accommodates two end shields (5a) (5b) capable of accommodating an articulated reel holder (6) having end fittings (6d) to support and feed a reel of wipe material (b). The wipe reel rests on drum (3) allowing the strip of material to pass and be unwound at the rear of the machine between the drum and the rear wall of the housing so that said strip of material is capable of emerging from the lower part of the machine. The periphery of the drum has a non-slip friction strip (3a) which is in contact with the material making it possible to grip it and facilitate tearing after cutting. To ensure the reel of material is held against the drum, it is necessary to exert a certain amount of constant pressure whilst the reel of material is being unwound regardless of the forces applied.
During development of machines of the above-mentioned type, a safety roller (7) capable of being associated with a guide and transmission belt (8) which links the safety rollers and said drum was incorporated in the lower part of the machine. An arrangement of this type is described in French Patent No. 2,555,975 in particular.
The drum may be of the type described in above-mentioned French Patents but it may alternatively provide, as in French Patent No. 89/17570, two openings (3b) made in the periphery of the drum making it possible to orientate and guide corresponding parts of the strip of material if the user pulls the end of the strip of material at an angle, applying a tensile force which is not in conformity with the normal tensile force exerted along a line which is an extension of the front of the machine.
The Applicant has also developed a special device used to monitor correct unwinding of the strip of paper material depending on the diameter and the weight of the roll of paper and depending on the tensile force exerted on the protruding end of the strip of paper which emerges from the machine. Such a device is described in French Patent No. 2,764,278.
During operation of machines of the above-mentioned type which use all or some of the aspects restated briefly above, the Applicant has observed, during use, a problem in retaining the reel of material relative to its support end shields (5a–5b). Regardless of the characteristics of said end shields and their embodiment, during use slight swivelling of the reel towards the left at an angle (a) of a few degrees is observed and this causes the machine to stop working and prevents the dispensing of paper.
This situation has been encountered regardless of the tensile force exerted by the user and regardless of the configuration of the drum.
The reel support end shields (5a–5b) then press against the wings (1b) of the housing and the strip of paper is pinched and cannot directly escape through the lower opening in the machine.
In order to overcome this drawback, the user must then actuate the manual load button (9) located on the side of the machine which causes rotation of the drum and ejection of the strip of material. The load button must be operated in order to return the machine to normal working order. Although this operation is not really awkward in itself, it is nevertheless a nuisance to the user who is given the impression that the machine operates unpredictably. It also means that the user must remember to actuate the load button and this is far from obvious given the fact that these types of dispensing machines are installed in public areas where there are huge numbers of potential users.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,755 defines the preamble of claim 1.